Week of January 3

Happy New Year!  We're off to a great start this year, so read on to find out about some of the things your students are learning.

Kindergarteners in the morning class did creative movement with a story called "Naughty Shoes."  They used these movements in a song called "Tap Your Shoulders."  They enjoyed this song because they started out singing it slowly and progressively got faster and faster.  Students in the afternoon class sang and learned movements to "Tap Your Shoulders" during a shortened music class (due to an assembly).

First graders did a partner dance to a Spanish song called "Bate, Bate."  They also learned about Chinese music by discussing how music is typically used during Chinese New Year celebrations, singing "Go a Tin" and analyzing the Chinese Lion Dance.  The Chinese New Year begins on February 3 this year.

Second graders performed a spoken song about pizza in a four-part round with movements.  They also reviewed many types of musical forms and sang "John Kanaka-naka," which is in call and response form.  They began working with partners to compose two-person rhythm stick patterns to be played on the response section of the song.

Third graders discussed many of the elements that go into quality singing.  They sang a song called "Dance for the Nations" in a three-part round and learned movements to go with the song.

Fourth graders reviewed B, A, G, E, and low D on the recorder and reviewed the songs they should have been practicing over break.  Each student who felt that he was ready to test this week did.

Fifth graders began a "Passport to Music" unit this week.  They will continue playing recorders next week, but will take more "trips" using their passport throughout the end of the year.  This week they "traveled" to Colombia to experience Colombian music.  They sang, played instruments with, and danced to music from Colombia.  Each student also wrote a reflection on his experiences and received a stamp in the passport he created.

Don't forget...

Chorus begins after school on Thursday, January 13, for those students who signed up!!